We play advertisers
Entertainment: With its game «Brainstorm,» Hermann Schmidt Verlag offers a satirical take on the industry. The Zurich-based agency KSSJ put it to the test.
Entertainment Hermann Schmidt Verlag's game "Brainstorm" is a satire on the industry. The Zurich agency KSSJ put it to the test.Tuesday before Christmas at KSSJ: a few of us want to meet in the large meeting room at eleven o'clock to play "Brainstorm". "The new game for anyone thinking of going into advertising. Or have always wanted to know how creative their roommates, friends or family are...", says the publisher's own description of the board game, although the consultant is still on the phone flirting with a supplier, the advisor is having an intense discussion with a customer about where to go for dinner, the CD is following up his third double espresso with a fourth and fifth, the intern is dealing with private emails and the copywriter is worried that she has to write this text, which is why she barricades herself in the toilet. Thanks to the conscientious AD who sets up the board, we finally get started at 11.30 am. Surprisingly quickly, the atmosphere is surprisingly good.
First, two teams have to be formed. Each consisting of CD, AD, copywriter, consultant and intern. Then they have to find an agency name. The yellow team tactically spares its creative energy and falls back on the tried and tested: the initials of the surnames. It enters the race with the powerful name BEK. And ten minutes later, the blue team is also ready: it will operate under the highly creative name BrainVertising (sic!).
Take a smoke breakSince a watch is required for some game processes, the three male players demonstratively place their Maurice Lacroix masterpieces on the table. Now the four-point briefing is put together from seven options. One team determines the customer and the product, the other team the target group and the claim. The result is a practical combination of Langnese, BH, 3 to 6-year-olds and "When so many good things happen to you". The players now experience everyday agency life by taking it in turns to draw the agency cards. BEK begins, CD draws the first card: Cigarette break! Never hurts, CD and the trainee decide and disappear for a moment.
ADs like to work overtime. After all, they can listen to music, do private jobs, eat at the agency's expense and take a cab home. For so much quality of life, the AD gets ahead by the age of the player. Card by card, BEK and BrainVertising fight their way through everyday advertising. In the process, they confirm all the clichés: coke-sniffing ADs, interns who sleep in, contacts who spend the whole day on the phone, copywriters for whom grammar is a foreign word, and CDs that are primarily interested in awards - and secondarily, too. At around 12.45 p.m., with the score tied, BEK and BrainVertising meet in Cannes - the big showdown. The task is to create a TV commercial in three minutes in which, in addition to the product (BH), the claim ("When so many good things happen to you") and the target group (3 to 6-year-olds), a palm tree, a Porsche and a bratwurst also appear.
Why am I in advertising? In no time at all, you're developing soft porn across agencies and completely ignoring the target group. And because you're so well on top of things, all the rules of the game are thrown overboard and the agencies are merged into BEKBrain. Without any annoying competition, you now not only have all the awards to yourself, but also all the customers. And you can go out to eat in peace.
Conclusion: A recommendable game for all those who want to know why they are in advertising, should be in advertising, are not in advertising or should not be in advertising.
How do you sell a bra to 3 to 6-year-olds? KSSJ in the play test.
First, two teams have to be formed. Each consisting of CD, AD, copywriter, consultant and intern. Then they have to find an agency name. The yellow team tactically spares its creative energy and falls back on the tried and tested: the initials of the surnames. It enters the race with the powerful name BEK. And ten minutes later, the blue team is also ready: it will operate under the highly creative name BrainVertising (sic!).
Take a smoke breakSince a watch is required for some game processes, the three male players demonstratively place their Maurice Lacroix masterpieces on the table. Now the four-point briefing is put together from seven options. One team determines the customer and the product, the other team the target group and the claim. The result is a practical combination of Langnese, BH, 3 to 6-year-olds and "When so many good things happen to you". The players now experience everyday agency life by taking it in turns to draw the agency cards. BEK begins, CD draws the first card: Cigarette break! Never hurts, CD and the trainee decide and disappear for a moment.
ADs like to work overtime. After all, they can listen to music, do private jobs, eat at the agency's expense and take a cab home. For so much quality of life, the AD gets ahead by the age of the player. Card by card, BEK and BrainVertising fight their way through everyday advertising. In the process, they confirm all the clichés: coke-sniffing ADs, interns who sleep in, contacts who spend the whole day on the phone, copywriters for whom grammar is a foreign word, and CDs that are primarily interested in awards - and secondarily, too. At around 12.45 p.m., with the score tied, BEK and BrainVertising meet in Cannes - the big showdown. The task is to create a TV commercial in three minutes in which, in addition to the product (BH), the claim ("When so many good things happen to you") and the target group (3 to 6-year-olds), a palm tree, a Porsche and a bratwurst also appear.
Why am I in advertising? In no time at all, you're developing soft porn across agencies and completely ignoring the target group. And because you're so well on top of things, all the rules of the game are thrown overboard and the agencies are merged into BEKBrain. Without any annoying competition, you now not only have all the awards to yourself, but also all the customers. And you can go out to eat in peace.
Conclusion: A recommendable game for all those who want to know why they are in advertising, should be in advertising, are not in advertising or should not be in advertising.
How do you sell a bra to 3 to 6-year-olds? KSSJ in the play test.
Corinne Englert, copywriter, KSSJ
